This invention relates to the art of security devices and, more particularly, to an anti-theft device mountable between flight control components in the cockpit of an airplane to preclude unauthorized operation thereof.
Small, propeller driven and jet aircraft are often parked and left unattended outside in a remote area of a large airport, or outside at smaller, local airports, and in both cases there is very little traffic in the way of individuals in the area. Furthermore, there generally is no provision for security personnel to watch such unattended aircraft. Even if the owner of an aircraft normally parks in a hanger, there are instances where the aircraft is temporarily parked outside the hanger and left unattended, or towed or taxied from the hanger to a maintenance area in which the aircraft is left unattended pending the inspection, performance of maintenance and the like by maintenance personnel. Often, hangers are left open. In these and other situations, such aircraft is subject to unauthorized use or operation as well as theft, especially at smaller airports where there is minimal air traffic and thus more than ample opportunity to steal or take a joy ride in the aircraft. Indeed, theft of aircraft is a growing problem and is perhaps most prevalent in Southwestern areas of the United States and in Mexico and in connection with the illegal trafficking of drugs into the United States.
Some smaller aircraft have key operated ignition systems in which the wires can be readily crossed if necessary to enable operation of the engine of the aircraft. However, in connection with such small aircraft, owners often leave the key in place, especially when the aircraft has been parked in a maintenance area, whereby crossing of wires is not necessary to operate the aircraft. Moreover, some owners replace the key switch with a toggle switch and many aircraft as manufactured do not have a key operated switch and are operable merely by actuating a toggle switch. While small aircraft are often tethered to the ground, such tethering is primarily for the purpose of maintaining the aircraft in place during high winds and is not intended to deter theft or unauthorized operation of the aircraft. Indeed, such tethering arrangements include rope or other lines which are tied in place or provided with mechanical spring clasps or the like and, thus, are readily cut or detached from the aircraft.
It has been proposed, as shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,862 to Gould and in my co-pending patent application Ser. No. 995,529 filed Dec. 22, 1997 to provide a blade of an airplane propeller with a removable device forming an eccentric weight so as to preclude operation of the aircraft. While such devices are operable for the intended purpose, they are limited to use with propeller driven aircraft. Furthermore, if a would-be thief angered for example by his or her inability to steal the airplane, throttles the engine to a high RPM, the out-of-balance condition caused by the eccentric weight can cause serious damage to the engine and/or other component parts of the aircraft resulting in costly repairs to the owner.